Guilt over FOOD?

Just baking some cookies before even making breakfast for our Sunday morning.

My sister requested the Everything Cookies for dessert last night and the only time we had to make them was early so we got to work. Our family is obsessed with these.

WHERE’S MY BABY!!?!?!?!

We go to church each Sunday for three hours and by the end of our meetings I was thinking, ‘How in the world did I run non-stop for about the same amount of time (give or take) as church while training/running these marathons?’ The change in a runner’s perspective when we are in training vs. not in training sure is drastic. I’ll get back to those crazy long runs again but for now the idea of running for so long feels foreign.

Brooke pretending that she is Ginger (our future dog’s name)… her dog impersonation is even better than her horse one.

And then it was time to go over to my sister’s house for gnocchi. My nephew turned one and he loves potato anything, especially gnocchi and so she made some for dinner.

Cuddling on the couch while he opened his presents. I gave him a toy and mashed potatoes.

Kids really are the best.

All of Brooke’s gymnastic classes are sure paying off. She did an almost cartwheel the other day at my mom’s house and I was pretty surprised.

***Please note—> I am not a nutritionist. I am just a random almost 30 year old in Utah writing her thoughts on a blog. Proceed with caution.

I’ve been pretty open about my food issues in the past and after talking about my elliptical days yesterday it reminded me about the guilt I used to associate with food back in my early-mid twenties. I’d love to get your opinion/experiences on this subject too.

Goodness gracious, I used to feel all sorts of guilt for eating anything that wasn’t on my list of good foods back then. I am positive I wasted a lot of brain power and time feeling bad after eating meals/desserts that in my eyes at the time were not healthy. I’ve told you this before but pregnancy did a wonder on my brain. It really helped me to appreciate my body for making my best little buddy (see above picture) and to be a lot kinder to myself. It was all kind of my ‘aha’ moment where I decided enough is enough and I needed to let go of the guilt that I associated with food. I just wanted to share a few of my thoughts that have helped me when it comes to food guilt.

-When I am 70 years old, do I want to look back on my life and think about all of the time that I spent feeling guilty about my food? No way. I want to think about the memories with my people, the work, the play, the runs, the experiences and the delicious foods I enjoyed along the way. I do not want to look back on my life and realize I wasted a lot of time thinking about what I did/did not eat.

-I should feel guilt for things like lying, hurting someone, stealing, going against my morals etc. but over food… um no. Guilt is a feeling that is wired into us to experience when we do something wrong. I do not believe that it is a feeling meant to be experienced for eating too much/not fueling ourselves perfectly. I feel like guilt is one of those feelings that really brings us down and that sure effects our choices and the people in our lives… so constantly feeling guilty over food can really hurt ourselves and our relationships.

-Food is just a thing. I won’t allow it to have control over me. It’s a thing.

Now I don’t think there is anything wrong with wanting to improve our nutrition and work towards making good choices for our bodies. I think it is great to care about what we are fueling ourselves with and trying to fill it with more nutritions options… BUT what is the point of feeling guilty after a meal? There is nothing you can do about it. You can’t change it. You ate it and now you can move forward with the rest of your day rather than dwelling on the food eaten. I try to eat a somewhat balanced meal, enjoy it and then think about other things once I am finished. Easier said than done if you are struggling with food guilt but it’s all about making progress not perfection right? Focusing on changing our mindsets little by little will make a huge difference over time.

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Ever struggle with food guilt? What do you do to help with this problem?

105 comments

Highlight of my weekend was seeing my fiance’s grandparents for their 50th anniversary! We asked them for their best advice on staying married for that long. Even after all this time they still hold hands and act like newlyweds. They’re the cutest :)

I have 2 races this month! First ones of the year..one on Valentines Day and a Spring Thaw at the end of the month!

I think it’s so common to feel guilty over anything that feels good whether it’s amazing food or anything else, because we’re taught it’s “bad” somehow to indulge in anything too much, but a lot of us take that too far and just wind up feeling guilty about everything! I struggle with guilt over even just getting enough sleep sometimes. It’s a lifelong project for me.

I wouldn’t say that I ever feel guilt after eating a particular food, but I love food so much and tend to over eat a lot, which if I really think about there might be some guilt there afterwards. I’ve been lucky enough to have a pretty good relationship with food. I don’t associate it with too many emotions although I love eating and would probably do it non stop if our bodies worked that way!

The highlight of my weekend was going to a big fundraising even on Friday night with dancing, free food and drinks, and the players of our local basketball team!

Highlight of my weekend was going to bed super early last night. Sleep = amazing

I used to obsessively count calories and would weigh myself 7+ times per day. If the number wasn’t one I was ok with (it never was), I would go and run or walk on the treadmill for hours. It was terrible. I’m so happy that I got thru that. Now I can eat “unhealthy” foods and not feel bad about it. Enjoy it and don’t think about it anymore. Some days I eat alot of foods that aren’t super healthy, other days I don’t eat any unhealthy foods. It all evens out. I’d rather not worry about it anymore and just enjoy living!

HECK YES!!!!! You know I agree with you on this one! I have the same mindset, and of course there are days we all feel guilty, but I feel exactly the same, when I am 70 I want to know I LIVED rather than ate 100% clean, but felt miserable! You keep enjoying those cookies, and I will too!! :)

Loribeth

I do feel a little guilt sometimes, but I get over it and go for a run when I can……..that way I can eat the things I want and still feel great about it!

Highlight of weekend: We had two super nice 65 degree days, so the hubby and I did our biking to the grocery store to shop thing (it’s just under a mile away, across the river over a pedestrian/biking bridge). SO MUCH FUN! And then he biked yesterday while I ran, to enjoy the nice weather again!

Absolutely agree. After years of therapy I’m just now starting to *really* understand how much my eating disorder affected the people around me. It’s tough because you think you’re only hurting yourself but your mood and restrictions have any impact on every one who spends time with you.

I have a half marathon on valentine’s day! :) Celebrating my love for running over 13.1 miles sounds like a good plan!

I agree so much! Food is not a moral choice (at least in good/healthy vs bad/unhealthy, since something could be said about eating sustainably for our planet). Food is to nourish, bring enjoyment, and bring people together! And I’d rather live a life of companionship and fun than guilt myself over every bit.

Mel_OutRunCF

I really think we should trust our body and listen to it more. In my case and your case, we’re talking about a body who was able to create another human being! Why are we treating it like it doesn’t know what it needs or what its doing?! I try to eat when my body tells me its hungry and to stop when I’m satisfied. Also, I don’t believe in good or evil food : I have everything I WANT in moderation so I don’t feel deprived of something (this is where trouble starts!). I also try to notice how food makes me feel : i.e. what gives me energy for a run or after a run? What makes me feel satisfied for multiple hours after a run so I can move on with my life, etc… ;-) So I guess I’m trying to think about my food/fuel in a positive way ;-)

Those cookies look so good! I love dessert and have told myself over and over for just about all of my life that I can’t feel guilty for enjoying what I love. I will never ever give up dessert because that would be giving up something I really truly enjoy. It would never be worth it to me! If 90% of my life is healthy whole foods, I see nothing wrong with having room for sweets and the stuff we love. It feeds our soul :(

I have struggled with food guit since high school. And now at 42 I finally feel like I can make a choice to eat somethings too high in fat or sugar and know that one meal isn’t going to ruin all the well balanced meals. Everything in moderation. And if I start to go too heavy on the treats I usually just feel physically sick and go back to healthier choices without guilt.
Highlight of my weekend was skiing I Vermont with the boyfriend. :)

I used to feel guilty about certain foods too, but I think the worst part was that my perception about “healthy” foods was so screwed up. I used to eat things that were low calorie and low fat (with lots of fake sugars and weird ingredients) because I thought that was better for me. I no longer have any guilt over foods and I just focus on eating nutritious foods whenever possible but also eat anything I enjoy (within reason). I feel so much better physically and mentally. Glad you were able to get to that point as well!

Food guilt is definitely a real thing. I find that when I overthink it too much, I tend to gain weight. I’ve changed my eating habits to the 80/20 (80 percent of the time eating well, but splurging the rest, if I feel like it) rule, and find that food doesn’t take much thought any more. My routine does include exercise, but I would say that this way of eating is lifelong. Thanks for your post! Enjoy those desserts!!

Thanks for bringing this up and being so open, Janae. I think we tend to really underestimate just how many people struggle with food guilt and it leaves us feeling even worse cause we’re like “why can I not get over this?!” I am no stranger to food guilt but similarly, it’s something that I am able to perceive more and more as just a thing! P.s. That picture of Brooke in the red dress. OH MY GOODNESS!!

I have to admit i do feel a little guilty but only lately because I consciously know that I have been really terrible and I can start to see it and feel it. Despite that I can not (and will not) stick to a diet. I refuse to knowingly deprive myself of food when there were times in my life that I terribly missed it! So all i need to do is get back to my old ways and strat eating as healthy as I used to. And i know i will :) So in all honesty the only time that I considered that i have struggled with food is when i couldn’t afford to get enough…
As for highlith in my weeked, I crashed my 10 miler with avg pace 9:05/mile!!!!!! Its my grandmothers bday this month – actually on th 14th :) makes it easy to remember :) Win! And no races this month but my first half marathon is on March 20th!

I used to have more of a problem with food guilt when I was younger, but I don’t believe in wasting my energy on it these days. If I want to eat something less than healthy, I do, and maybe I think a bit more about eating something healthier at my next meal.

The highlight of my weekend was getting a good trail run in with some friends on Saturday.

I have at least one race in February, it’s a 5k, but I haven’t raced a 5k in years, so I don’t know what to expect.

I agree, in the grand scheme of things, I don’t think anyone should feel guilt over food. I really don’t like the term “good” food or “bad” food. I strive to eat pretty healthy but “healthy” can mean something different to everyone. I’ve experienced people saying that bread is so unhealthy.. As I’m eating bread haha. To me, it’s not unhealthy at all! It’s something that I just try to tune out because everyone has their own opinions.

Food guilt is something I think a lot of people experience, including those with eating disorders, however not everyone with food guilt has an eating disorder. It makes sense though, that food guilt would be so tightly wound with eating disorders because its really not about the food!!!! Rather than feeling difficult emotions (like guilt), it comes out in their use of food. I can speak from experience and know that developing a healthy relationship with food is key. I can still have days where I don’t feel the best about my food choices but more because I am in tune with what my body is telling me. You just have to be kind to yourself about it and move on. Our worth is not found in the food we eat!!!
Thanks for writing on the topic and sharing your thoughts!

Ever struggle with food guilt? ALL THE TIME! I am trying to do better with it. What do you do to help with this problem? I just have to remind myself that life is about balance and as long as I’m not overindulging every meal or every day that I’m doing okay!

What was the highlight of your weekend? The beautiful weather. The weather here in Georgia was near perfect! Sunny and mid 60’s!

Michelle G

Big struggles with food but especially with having daughters I’ve been working hard to get that relationship functional. And I’m definitely seeing a change in perspective and a better balance than I ever have.

Lynn

It is amazing how pregnancy can change how you think about your body. I kept a food journal for years to count calories in and calories out until I got pregnant. Since then (my baby is 6 weeks old) I haven’t kept up with calories at all. I eat if I’m hungry and I don’t feel bad if I want that extra brownie (I had two last night…). As long as every meal is isn’t “unhealthy” and I feel good/balanced, I think that is all that counts.

I think being an athlete can change your perspective. Food isn’t really “good” or “bad”. I was just writing about your overall health is a collection of your food choices. One day, week if month won’t make or break you. I’m glad you have a good relationship with food now Janae!

The only time I really struggle with food guilt is during pregnancy. Weird, I know, but it’s much harder for me to resist eating a pan of brownies instead or a good lunch. And most days I do good and feel good about choices. I think it’s great to allow yourself to eat junk or snack food sometimes. What’s the point of eating any food if you’re not going to enjoy it too? As long as you’re making the smart choices along with the snacks.

Love this post and completely agree. I’m not currently training for any race, so my workouts have been mostly BodyPump and spinning. But without a race, my exercise routine isn’t as rigid, which is totally OK! Yesterday I didn’t even workout and enjoyed a milkshake and tater tots, and I felt absolutely fine about it! A few years ago, I would been having so much anxiety and guilt over those food items, but I’ve realized sometimes you just need those days to treat yourself and just relax!

Karrie

Your nephew looks like he really enjoyed that cake! He is too cute.
Ugh food guilt is such a horrible thing to have to deal with and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. I just try to move on after I have eaten something unhealthy. It is not worth it to just sit and dwell on it. I will also try to get in a workout later on and for some reason that makes me feel so much better, almost like I didn’t even eat anything that was unhealthy for me.
The highlight of my weekend was hanging out with our friends and playing disk golf.
My half marathon is February 27th!!!! It’s the republic of Texas Half and it’s in our college town.

Highlight of my weekend had to be going in to Philly yesterday to workout with some of my favorite gals. It’s a little bit of a trek, but working out with a group of girls who just get it is way better than working out alone anyday of the week.

Food fear was/is a very real thing for me but I’m getting better with time. It is always amazing to me to see people going through the same thing when I had always thought it was just me. You live and you learn.

Oh yeah, I have definitely had food guilt before. I really try to just move on when those thoughts pop up in my head, but sometimes it is hard.
Highlight of my weekend was getting to Florida for a little getaway!! We are still here and soaking up the sunshine!

Sandy

I feel food guilt….and single mom guilt….and work guilt……and spending money guilt….and…..I think you get the picture. I’m working on my perspective on all of this and when I start to feel bad I recall something someone said to me once……”guilt is a wasted emotion – if you’ve done something that you feel bad about, learn from it, and move on”. Great advice.
My favorite part of this weekend was all the amazing time I got to spend with my friends when my son was with his dad. I’m not sure I stopped smiling the whole weekend. And smiled bigger when my son came home :)
Have a super week!!!

DeeDee

I think all of us feel guilt over a lot of things not just food. We’re taught from a young age what’s right and wrong and that becomes ingrained in our psyche. I think about how many times I feel guilty over sleeping longer and knowing I have a trillion things to do. It’s a constant battle to balance those feelings with living life!

Kristine

Janae! I love those brown pants, where are they from? They look super comfy. Great post, thanks for opening up!

I too struggled with extreme guilt, and now I don’t suffer with it anymore and it is literally like a whole new world. I never want to go back to the way I was when I was super skinny. It was not a fun life, and I wasn’t even able to date because I was always so obsessive over everything. Happy to be free now!

Tracy

Hi Janae! It’s so ironic that you posted about cookies because I saw this recipe for Brookies yesterday and decided it looks like something you could make with Brooke. Haven’t tried them myself but it sure sounds like a good idea! http://www.melskitchencafe.com/brookies/#_a5y_p=2483802

And I ran three miles yesterday after over two months off from a stress fracture. YAY!

Ali

I too have struggled with food. I think just getting older has helped a lot. And I think I’ve come to look at food for how it makes my body feel as opposed to how it makes my mind feel (like guilt). I tend to want food that makes my body feel like it’s really functioning well as opposed to what I do/don’t eat that makes me feel skinny/no guilty/etc. Make sense? Unless it’s nachos. I know I will have a food hangover the next day but I just can’t resist.

Oh boy do I struggle with guilt in the food department. I hope I can be like you when I have my first kid, I am hoping/counting on things to change then. Other than that, I just take it day by day. The highlight of my weekend, I got lots of sleep, I should be good and rested for this week ahead. No birthday for me this month, but my first nephew is due on the 10th, so any day now there will be a new family member!!

I am so with you on the food guilt, I probably have several posts dedicated to it.

The thing I try to remember is that food guilt is so completely useless. It doesn’t change the past, and it won’t change how you eat in the future. All it will do is make you feel like crap in the present, and be more likely to just say “Screw it” and continue eating in a way that’s not good, mentally or physically.

Those cookies look BOMB!! I definitely have a little food guilt when I deviate from a my good diet but thats life and we all have to indulge every now and then to keep from going crazy!! :) You are SO right though, we cant let it control us — its just FOOD! xoxo

Devin @ FitMomJeans

This is way off topic and random, but I know you are always looking for book suggestions. I just finished this book in a day over the weekend and it’s so amazing to see another perspective of ourselves as runner. The perspective of us through our families eyes. With lots of twists and turns it’s a GREAT READ. “While My Sister Sleeps” by Barbara Delinsky.
On topic… I am struggling with some serious body shaming issues now that I am pregnant. I worked so hard to get the weight off and it’s just coming right back, and so are my urges to eat Hardee’s cinnamon raisin biscuits for breakfast everyday….

katy

Guilt over food is something I have struggled with A LOT. Through a lot of therapy and time and effort, I am starting to relax and not sweat the small stuff so much any more. It’s still a challenge, but it is progress not perfection.

As an RA I have three hour desk shifts where I just sit there and check people into the building. On slow days, I’ve literally sat there thinking, “Janae runs for this long!!” I sit there utterly baffled by your endurance, so I’m right there with you thinking that three hours is long!

I definitely have struggled with guilt over food, and still do from time to time. Hopefully, for most it does lead as far as it did for me and turn into an eating disorder, but it breaks my heart to know so many of us all feel so down on ourselves for doing a natural thing to keep ourselves alive!

the highlight of my weekend was finally getting to sleep in a little! last week was a long one, and I was ready for a break.

I’ve struggled with guilt over food for a long time (pretty much as long as I can remember…) “bad” vs. “good”, “healthy” vs. “unhealthy”, and you’re 100% right- it’s such a waste of energy! On my deathbed, I’m not going to be thinking, “man, I should have eaten less oreos in my time!”

Christine

February 12th, woot woot! It is also Abe Lincoln’s birthday . Growing up I thought I was tall because I was born on his birthday – ha! I try to eat healthy whenever possible so that when I do having something indulgent (cookies,cakes,alcohol, etc) I don’t endure the guilt of eating something like that. So during the work week I try and stay on point but if a co-worker wants to have lunch out one day, I enjoy it knowing that I ate healthy the rest of the week :-)

Megan D

Gnocci!! I have never made it before, but I love it. They are little pillows of deliciousness.

I have good guilt like it is my freaking job. Not so much over certain types of food, but the amount of food. I am fine (obviously) with having treats and sugar in my life. I don’t WANT to live a life void of delicious treats. But it is the quantity in which I eat them that the guilt sets in. I am so mad at myself for my lack of control. However, in doing that, the shame–>guilt–>overeat cycle continues. I have been doing a lot more reading about it lately and am trying to be nicer to myself because I feel like the constant negative talk to myself only perpetuates the cycle. Discouragement is a tool of the adversary for sure.

Loved this post. I love how open you are and how much you have grown. I look up to you so much.

Tara Williams

Janae–you hit it dead on! Great post! I have certainly struggled with food guild in the past but truly have changed my perspective in the past year. I did so for a lot of the reasons that you state, such as realizing how much brain power I was wasting on a subject that meant nothing to anyone else in the world besides me! It is a journey that I am pretty sure I will always be on, but I can see progress and that is what counts!

Our highlight of the weekend was running a total of 5o miles together between Saturday at 8 am and Sunday at 11:30 am. You can read all about our adventures on the blog!

And I used to have really bad food guilt. Marathon running has finally helped me deal with that. I’ve gotten a lot better about eating when I’m hungry, and if I eat a particularly indulgent meal, I force myself to eat an absurd amount of veggies for the next one. Like yesterday I had a lobster roll for lunch, and for dinner I had half a bag of frozen veggies with pasta sauce and ground bison (replacing the noodles for veggies). I’ve found that as long as I eat a lot of vegetables, I feel ok about my little slip ups.

Also Brooke looks SO CUTE in that dress! I’ve only been reading your blog for a little over a year now and I can’t believe how much she’s grown!

I think you struck a cord with “food guilt”. What is it with women and food issues? Pretty sure my husband and sons have no food guilt issues. I’ve seem those men put some serious food away and they only want more. That is so wrong.

On that note: yes. we call have food issues. Guilt for sure. The biggest thing I figured out is that I am a really minor eater unless I am watching what I eat and then I want all the food all the time. I have Hypothyroidism/Celiac and sometimes my body just decides it wants to gain weight. Which it did, this last week. I sadly gained ten pounds after diligently strength training and exercising. z

So…I starting “watching what I eat”. The result? I freaking wanted everything in the house. EVERYTHING. ALL THE FOOD. I stopped that madness and now I’ll just eat normally which would be more intuitive eating for me. I just don’t eat very much so I have to make sure I eat extra to get in more calories. And maybe extra workout time.

I love your honest thoughts about food guilt. I’ve had periods of time where I restricted the types of food I ate to an extreme, and while I am conscious of the “fuel” I put into my body, I don’t want to live the rest of my life obsessing over every calorie. My parents just arrived for a month long visit to St. George, it made for a happy weekend and a happy February. I’m thinking about another half marathon this month. And that little red dress it to die for! I keep having those thoughts about my three year old…where is my baby?

Jamie Lisson

What you said about nutrition really struck a cord with me. Thank you so much Janae for touching on this. I’ve struggled with feeling guilt over consuming any ‘bad’ foods my whole life. I can’t stand being such a healthaholic but I’m trying to practice every day to be more forgiving with myself. Your tips are some good help!

I completely agree with not feeling guilt after eating. My philosophy in my house is: ALL FOODS FIT. I want my children to have a healthy relationship with food and exercise, not one of rules and regulations.

Love this!! Feeling guilt over food is a waste of LIFE! :) My great grandma lived to 96, and she ALWAYS ate dessert. I think that’s the secret, really. ;) So glad to hear that you have a much more positive outlook on food now. <3 And speaking of, those cookies look amazing!!

Food is just a thing but there’s so much more to it than that! So many emotions tied into food (think celebrations, parties, favorite foods, etc.). I am a dietitian and I have gone through ups and downs in my relationship with food. I am very type A and have been through phases where I counted every calorie I ate and every calorie I burned through exercise. And while, at the time, that helped me reach my weight loss goal, it was not sustainable and took the fun out of eating! Other times I go the complete opposite direction and I don’t focus hardly at all on what I’m eating – overall I think I make pretty good choices compared to most but without planning and tracking at all it can be easy to go overboard. It is definitely something to be mindful of but something that is very individualized and you have to find what works for you!

Grant

Food guilt is definitely a struggle for me at times. You summarized pretty well the things I remind myself to combat it – I don’t want to worry about what I eat so long as I can run, and in the grand scheme of things, who cares if I eat a little more than I “should”? I hardly know how my body works anyway. Eating “unhealthy” now and then will not necessarily lead to negative effects… and so on.

February birthday for me – this week, in fact! The 4th!

I was hoping to be able to run a race later this month, but after just getting over some foot pain, now I’m dealing with runner’s knee in my right knee :( So far I’ve been able to run through it, but I miss pain-free running so much right now.

Misti

Thank u for always sharing , so openly, about real issues. Speaking of guilt feelings over food- my grandmother, who is 86, still becomes discouraged when she overeats or gains a little weight. Guilt concerning food or weight is such a real problem. I think there is so much pressure on women/girls to be perfect. Perfect job, grades, hair, tan, complexion, and body- add mother and wife to that for some of us and it is just TOO MUCH. We need to be kinder to ourselves and all the ladies in our lives. I tell my daughter all the time “all u can do, is the best u can do” and ” do your best and have a good attitude”. Now- to just take my own advice. Lol!
Thank u for adressing these type of subjects. It is much appreciated! I hope u have a great day.

I used to feel that way or go on crazy diets, but realized it’s just not sustainable long-term and staying in was never going to help me meet anyone. I got over it and do try to eat very healthy during the week and splurge a bit on the weekends!

Before I had my daughter I had some pretty bad priorities with food if that make sense. My job use to be pretty intense so I would put that above most things, except going to the gym, I always made time for that. So I would get up, have my coffee maybe an english muffin or toast and then not eat again until right before the gym at the end of my work day. It’s been over a year and I definitely have way different priorities and eating/nourishing my body is one of the most important things.

Speaking of eating, those cookies look so good! No races for me for a little while. Right now I am enjoying running for fun. I have my eyes on a race for Memorial Day weekend!

Thank you for posting this!! I had the food guilt in my late teens when I gained a few pounds my first year of college. I would ratio the amount of food I ate to the amount of exercising I had to do. In the long run it was more of an issue with feeling out of control that I projected onto my diet. I’m in a great food place now. I eat lots of healthy food and I’m not afraid of desserts–but I also know what makes me feel good (and binge eating or eating bad food just doesn’t). It’s so important for moms to be conscious of these issues. I never want my daughter to experience it.
Ps-I love your black booties!!

I have struggled with food guilt on and off in my 20’s and totally agree with your perspective. How much time have I wasted on worrying about trivial things?! Food is really a gift and it can become a problem when I let it get too much focus/attention in my life.

Marathon running and pregnancy/childbirth really did change my mindset to a healthy view of food and fueling my body! Thank you for sharing this and happy birthday to your little nephew!!!

Kelli

Janae! We made the Everything cookies on Sat and you are right. They are so good! Sweet but kinda salty from the cornflakes. YUM. :) And Brooke in that little red dress? So cute.

You are so right about food being just a thing. We do the best we can. We are only human. And we deserve to indulge sometimes, as long as it is not causing behavioral problems. Thank you for all your honesty!

After losing heaps of weight quickly and getting let’s of compliments I started to think I had to be super skinny! I was so strict with my diet – I would stay home rather than go out with friends to avoid eating “unhealthy” food. I was also still running heaps and would rely on black coffee to suppress my appetite. Then when I lost my period and my dr was like “enough now” I kind of snapped out of it. And once I started eating MORE food I realised how hungry I had been.

Now I don’t have such strict rules around food. I eat what makes me feel good with a balanced approach. Lots of variety is important. And ice cream on a hot summers day tastes amazing!! I’ve gained a few kgs but honestly I had to starve myself to stay at that low weight so it just wasn’t right for my body.

I used to count calories and obsess over every meal I ate and also weigh myself multiple times a day.. it was so stressful and I never lost weight just gained it because of all the extra stress probably. It was so draining.. After I finally let go of the stressing and just decided to eat what I wanted when I was hungry and be relatively smart about it I lost weight without realising.. (running probably helped too). I still eat chocolate every day but I don’t feel guilty about it because there is no point and I believe that everything balances out.

I’m thinking of doing a 10k this month but haven’t signed up yet.. would be the first race of the year.

I think food guilt can definitely be a real thing, but I agree, it wastes a whole lot of brain power thinking about it. Moderation is key in my book. :) Brooke looks so cute in her red dress for church and SO grown up! My little girl has her birthday this week and she is turning 2! I can’t believe it! :)

I used to feel guilty about food too! It really consumed my thoughts and made me miserable. What changed my mindset was when I injured myself from running, had to take a break, and discovered p90X. Tony Horton gave a bunch of great advice but most importantly taught me to be patient with/love my body.

I love your perspective on this. I used to have some terrible habits and attitudes about food and eating. I would really restrict what I ate and then binge on like a whole box of poptarts or a huge thing of ice cream. Then I’d feel awful both mentally and physically and restrict myself even more or try to work it off with exercise (like figure out the calories I ate and then jump on the elliptical until it said I burned off the same number of calories). Fortunately I’m in a much better place with food now. I still overdo it sometimes but at least now I can say “eating that entire bag of m&ms probably wasn’t the best choice” and move on without punishing myself.

Becky

Yes! I have felt guilty about food! Once I met my husband I realized that I had not been eating enough! I was underweight!! And sometimes that can be worse than being overweight. I try to remember balance! I want to remain healthy and sometimes just crave healthy foods because I know they are benefiting my body and they simply make me feel better. I love sweet treats though. I just don’t go overboard. :) I also try to remember to’ eat to live, not live to eat.’ That phrase helps me a lot. I have gained a few pounds but know that I have more muscle tone and I’m in a much healthier state.

I noticed your marathon times. Very impressive! I’m currently training for my first marathon in April. Nervous excitement! I have a 10K race coming up next weekend.

I recently lost over 60 pounds (part of what I blog about), and I occasionally feel guilty about what I eat. But weight loss and maintenance works best for me if I just keep the mindset of “I can have whatever I want but I choose not to have that.” That keeps me focused on making good choices but not feeling like I’m depriving myself.

Hannah

Thank you so much for sharing on this topic of Food-Guilt! I think it is very relevant to our culture and a lot of girls struggle with this in our society. Great insight! I too struggled with food guilt for a long time throughout my early twenties. I was eating SUPER clean, low-fat and low-carb and running marathons and slowly killing my body. I lost my period for several years and had to go on birth control to regulate my cycle. I used to tally up calories in my head after each meal and if I slipped and ate cookies or a milkshake I would beat myself up about it the rest of the day. I too have learned that life is way too short for that! Today, I am so happy to say I am free from that! I feel so blessed- I am 15 weeks pregnant with my first baby and everyday I try to eat whatever I feel like and crave. I look at food so differently now. It is not “good” or “bad” but rather nutrition and energy that my body (and BABY) needs. And sometimes an occasional treat is a very very good thing ;-)

I couldn’t agree with you more about how pregnancy can completely change body perception. I used to be really hard on myself and my appearance. Even during pregnancy I struggled with the weight gain and drastic changes my body went through. Now that I am a few months postpartum, I have a completely new respect and level of compassion toward my body. I don’t carry around the same thoughts and pressure to “look a certain way” as I once did. It has been liberating. My son has been a blessing in so many ways. <3

Monica

Cara

I love your thoughts on food not being something to feel guilty about. Thank you for sharing. This is something that I struggle with and recognize as a problem in my own life. Right now I am trying to navigate not feeling (overwhelmingly) guilty about feeling guilty about food, if that makes sense? I guess where I am at is I do feel guilty about eating (what I eat, how much I eat) and I recognize that as a problem and something I need to seek help with and I consequently feel guilty about my problems with food. I am trying to be nice to myself in recognizing my weaknesses and not allowing my guilt about my weaknesses become so big that dealing with my weaknesses becomes out of reach.

How cute is your nephew?!!! So, so adorable :)
Such a great post. I never want to look back on life and have regrets.
I dealt with some food guilt issues in college. I have learned so much since then.
Balance. Don’t deprive yourself. Enjoy food.
I can’t believe it is already February!! Have a great night Janae!

great reminder of what is really important that we cultivate and consider: our character. yes, of course we want to pay attention to our health and make good decisions, but i know i’ve definitely been guilty of spending more time worrying about what i put in me than i do about the compassion and integrity that comes out of me and makes up my heart & soul. both need attention, but guilt over food can consume us so that we don’t spend our energy where it belongs.

Bethany

Laura

A to the MEN! I love this post! I am currently newly pregnant, and for the first time I’m honoring my cravings because it’s for the babies I’m growing inside of me. Why can’t I have this same mindset when I’m not pregnant?? This is my new mantra, and I hope it sticks with me post-pregnancy. It’s okay to have that second dessert, dammit! Thanks for sharing–food can be so controlling, but when you just eat to thrive and aren’t bound by it, it can be so freeing! Pregnancy has also been my “ah-ha” moment! It’s an amazing thing, creating another life (or lives for me!)

JoAnn

I have days where I feel extremely guilty about food choices, and days where I am ok.
I am racing this weekend at Tybee Island, GA. I’m excited, because it’s a new place for me!
I also have a birthday. I’m a Leap Year baby. :)

adrianna

really great posts and excellent comments…its nice to read about others in very similar situations. it took quite awhile for me to get out of feeling guilty for ‘bad’ foods and panicking about eating extra and/or not working out and working it off if i did have it. as i’ve aged and approached food more for fuel, i’ve gotten so much more lax. plus, i completely agree about looking back in the future…do i want to look back and have any thoughts about (of all things) food? hell no. enjoy it, move on, and love it! i still have days that bug me and i feel gross and guilty, but by the next day, done and done and back to normal

Stephanie

This post actually almost brought me to tears. I definitely struggle with food a lot. I have been battling an eating disorder for three years and even with all of the progress that I have made, it is still an everyday struggle. Your words are so inspiring and kind of the tough love that I need right now. You’re so right, who the heck cares what you eat. If someone does care, they don’t belong in your life. And when I’m older I know Ill be thinking about what I did with my life rather than the package of oreos I ate in one sitting, one night, way back when.